At First Glance
by SunnyBatgirl
Summary: It's Thatcher's first day in Chicago.


Title: At First Glance Author: Little Spooky Rating: G Pairings: sorta Fraser/Thatcher Ray: Ray Vechio Disclaimer: They belong to Alliance, okay? I have little daydreams about actually owning these characters, but I always wake up to everyone staring at me with this weird look on their faces..........  
  
Summary/Teaser: It's Meg's first day in Chicago.  
  
---------- Inspector Meg Thatcher looked around and surveyed her surroundings. She had heard Chicago was an interesting city, but none of what she had heard compared to what she saw.  
  
There was obviously quite a bit of artwork. It was the variety of the artwork that surprised her.  
  
*Well, that's just rude,* Meg thought. *They do that on the street?*  
  
Sighing, she picked up her luggage. "TAXI!!!"  
  
A car stopped, and she got in the back seat, telling the driver her address. Within minutes, she was at the door to her apartment.  
  
*Where did that guy learn to drive? I hope not everyone is like him.*  
  
As she opened her door, she gasped. Although the living room was moderately sized, the kitchen was tiny. The entire apartment was dark, and she couldn't see where a bedroom or bathroom might be.  
  
"Never let the government choose where you're going to live," Meg mumbled under her breath. "It always turns out worse than expected."  
  
Letting out another short sigh, she closed the door and set her belongings in the middle of the living room floor.  
  
"Hmm..." Meg thought for a moment. "Fix up the dreary apartment or get to know Chicago? Oh, what choices I have. Why couldn't I have just stayed in Ottawa?"  
  
Deciding to explore the city, Meg grabbed her purse, locked the door, and ventured out on her own into midmorning Chicago. ---------- "'New superior officer'? Benny, what are you talking about?" Detective Ray Vechio finished his sandwich.  
  
"The Inspector should be arriving sometime this week," Constable Benton Fraser replied. "However, Constable Turnbull and I are unaware of exactly when he, or she, is arriving."  
  
"A lady boss?" Ray laughed. "She must be some kinda 'Dragon Lady'."  
  
Ben frowned. "Ray, that isn't fair. We haven't even met her, or him, yet."  
  
"Whatever, Benny. So," he laughed again. "What cha doin' on your day off?"  
  
"Well, I was thinking about going to the library..."  
  
"The library? On your day off? You can't be serious!"  
  
"Well, actually, Ray..."  
  
"Whatever, Benny. Have fun. I, on the other hand, am going to a baseball game. Eighteenth row, right behind home plate."  
  
"Ah, well, enjoy the game then," Ben replaced his Stetson on his head.  
  
"Yeah,..." Ray snickered. "Have fun at the library." ---------- Stepping outside the cafe, Ben inhaled deeply. And coughed. The pollution levels were still higher than he was used to.  
  
"Come on, Deif," Ben said. The wolf tilted his head, and then got up from his post outside the cafe door to follow. "Oh, the library here isn't that bad. You should know by now that Chicago is going to have little or nothing alike the territories."  
  
Deifenbaker shook his head and continued to walk along.  
  
"Well, that's not exactly fair," Ben frowned. "Why didn't you tell me you were hungry? I fail to see the reason I ask anymore. You always seem to be hungry. It's your fault, you know. You've gotten too attached to Chicago's food." ---------- Having left Deif, and his Stetson, at his apartment, Ben continued onto the library. It was almost noon, and the morning chill was beginning to leave the air. Ben could sense rain was coming and made a mental note to find an umbrella.  
  
Lost in thought about the coming rain, Ben accidentally ran into a woman.  
  
"Excuse me," they both said at the same time. Ben looked up to see a beautiful woman with shoulder length brown hair and deep brown eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm new in town, and I wasn't watching where I was going."  
  
"I believe it was my fault as well, ma'am," Ben replied. "And I know the feeling. I haven't been in Chicago long myself. An interesting city, don't you think?"  
  
"I'd rather be in Ottawa," she replied.  
  
"You're Canadian?"  
  
"Yeah... why?"  
  
"Ah, well, I am Canadian as well. I am currently the..."  
  
"You're Canadian?" she beamed. "Great!! Then could you show me around the city?" She leaned closer. "Just between you and me, some of these American don't seem too trustworthy."  
  
"Well, er, okay," Ben agreed. "By the way, I am Benton Fraser."  
  
"Meg Thatcher." Meg shook his hand. ---------- "At first," Ben walked beside Meg, "it was the architecture that surprised me most, I believe."  
  
"The 'architecture'?" Meg laughed. "It's the condition that surprised me. I mean, on the postcards and on television, we see a country full of farms, vacation spots, and tall buildings. I see fairly tall buildings now, and I saw some farmland on the way here, but I have yet to see an interesting vacation spot."  
  
"I believe most of them are more near to the coasts," Ben replied. "Personally, Chicago is about as far South as I have ever been."  
  
"Ah," Meg thought for a moment.  
  
"So," Ben broke the silence. "Is there anything else you would like to see today?"  
  
Meg laughed. "Sorry," she saw Ben's confused look. "Bad imagery. I spent a couple weeks with my brother a little while ago, and I haven't gotten over it yet. His mind is a little... different."  
  
"Understood." Ben continued to walk down the street with Meg.  
  
"I do have an idea, though," Meg replied. "What do you know about interior decorating?" ---------- "I think the first thing I need to do is go furniture shopping," Meg turned to Ben. "What do you think?"  
  
"I think your apartment is bigger than mine," Ben glanced around the room. "It's huge."  
  
"Really?" Meg frowned. "I thought it was kinda small. I haven't even found the bedroom or bathroom yet."  
  
"Um," Ben walked over to a door on the other end of the living room. "perhaps in here?" he opened the door to reveal a fairly good sized bathroom with a door on the opposite wall. "And this must be the..." He openedthe door. "...bedroom."  
  
"Well this is attractive," Meg frowned. The room was large enough, but there was no closet and only one window.  
  
"If it makes you feel better," Ben said, "I have neither a bedroom or bathroom in my apartment."  
  
"Really?" Meg was shocked. "What do you do?"  
  
"Well," Ben blushed. He didn't usually talk about his apartment with women. "I sleep on a cot in my living room, and the floor of my apartment building shares a bathroom."  
  
"Where do you live?" Meg asked.  
  
"On the other side of Chicago," he replied. "I believe it is about a 10 minute cab ride from here."  
  
"Oh," Meg said, and was quiet again.  
  
"Meg?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"I believe I know a good place where you can buy some things for your apartment."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"At the mall," Ben replied. "It's also one of the places we haven't been yet."  
  
"Lead the way," Meg smiled and followed him out the door. ---------- "That's probably one of the nicest places I've seen all day," Meg placed her purchases on the living room floor. "Hopefully this spruces the place up a bit."  
  
"I believe it should," Ben also placed a few bags on the floor. "Would you like me to help...."  
  
"Oh, no," Meg interrupted. "That's okay. It's getting late, and I'm sure I can manage."  
  
"Are you sure?" Ben asked. "It wouldn't be any trouble. I could..."  
  
"It's okay," Meg replied. "I probably won't even finish tonight. I wanted to go to bed early so that I'm hopefully not late for my first day at work tomorrow."  
  
"Ah, well, okay then," Ben smiled. "Perhaps I'll see you another day then?"  
  
"What's your phone number?" Meg asked.  
  
"Well, I don't exactly have a phone, but," he found a pen and paper. "I can be reached at this number most days."  
  
"Work phone?"  
  
"One of them," Ben smiled.  
  
"I guess I'll see you later then?" Meg asked.  
  
"That would be nice," Ben replied. ---------- The Next Morning RCMP Chicago Consulate  
  
Ben walked into the consulate and was greeted by a Turnbull who appeared to be on a sugar high. He was dusting everything in sight and humming the tune to "God Save the Queen".  
  
"Ah, Constable Fraser," Turnbull greeted him gleefully. "Good news. Our new superior officer is here. She wishes to see you."  
  
"Understood," Ben replied and knocked on the door to her office.  
  
"Come in," came the reply from inside. The voice seemed somehow familiar to him.  
  
He entered her office and saw a woman standing on a chair trying to put some books on the shelf. "Sir?" Ben took off his Stetson and held it in front of him.  
  
"Good morning, Constable," she replied. "Constable Turnbull tells me you are the liaison officer. Is that true?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"'Sir', hmm? I guess that's acceptable. In Ottawa they usually called me 'Inspector'," she seemed to be happy with the arrangement of the books. "What's your name, Constable?"  
  
"Constable Benton Fraser," Ben stood a little straighter.  
  
The Inspector froze, then spun around on the chair, losing her balance. The chair toppled over, and she went with it.  
  
"Ben?" Meg gasped from the floor.  
  
"Meg?" Ben dropped his Stetson.  
  
THE END? 


End file.
